During the Christmas season, conifer trees are often cut and installed in the home or other buildings in celebration of the season. Such a cut tree is usually installed in some kind of stand. The stand holds the tree erect, and also retains an amount of water around the bottom of the trunk where the tree was severed from its root. In order to keep the tree looking fresh and green as long as possible, and in order to prevent the needles from falling off the tree prematurely, it is important that the bottom of the trunk be provided with a constant source of water.
FIG. 1 (Prior Art) is a diagram of such a cut tree 1. The bottom part of the trunk 2 of the tree is illustrated. Numerous branches 3 extend laterally way from the axis of the trunk as illustrated. The bottom 4 of the trunk where the tree was severed from its root is inserted into a reservoir bowl portion 5 of a tree stand 6. As mentioned above, a supply of water 7 is to be maintained in the bowl portion 5 to keep the tree hydrated. When the tree is initially set in place, an amount of water is put into the reservoir bowl portion 5. Moreover, as the tree takes up water from the bowl over time, more water is put into the bowl to replenish the amount absorbed by the tree.
FIG. 2 (Prior Art) is a diagram that illustrates a way that water is added to hydrate the tree. A vessel 8, such as the small watering can illustrated in the diagram, contains an amount of water. The vessel is brought above the level of the lip 9 of the reservoir bowl portion 5, and is tipped, so that water within the vessel can flow by gravity from the vessel and into the bowl. Performing this pouring task is often difficult for several reasons. There may be thick branches that prevent the watering vessel from being in a high enough position in the center of the tree to pour water down into the bowl. A small watering vessel may not be available or convenient, so an attempt to put water into the bowl using a somewhat large vessel may further complicate the pouring process. In addition, the tree may be heavily decorated with decorations and may be banded with strands of wired lights. The decorations may be fragile, and may become detached from the tree quite easily by touching the decorations themselves, or by touching another part of the tree. Getting the vessel into position to pour water into the bowl may be very difficult due to the presence of such fragile decorations and obstructing strands of lights. Due to such difficulties, water may be spilled in the area under the tree. The replenishing of water in the tree stand may be a frustrating experience. Other watering methods have been used, including pumping and siphoning, but these methods also suffer from similar difficulties of getting water into the bowl without spilling or damaging the tree decorations and setup.